Waking up one day to her obituary in the news and no recollection of the past few weeks, Rachel calls her husband, Nate, in a panic, at the research facility where he works. Nate is the inventor of CYANAs, Cybernetic Anthropoid Automatons, vessels that look exactly like humans and can store a person’s memories … and maybe even his or her soul.

When Nate arrives home, Rachel doesn’t recognize the man who claims to be her husband. Can Nate convince Rachel to fall in love with him all over again? Especially once she realizes what he’s done … and what it means for their future?

Mini-Review:

A sweet, short story about love and power, From Here To Eternity explores the definition of life in unprecedented circumstances. I like that Nate respects Rachel but challenges her to think beyond her self-imposed limiting beliefs. I also like Rachel’s willingness to adapt to unforeseen situation. While I wish to find out more about what Nate would do to continue to outsmart the CIA, I appreciate how things get wrapped up in the end. If you could stay alive after your human body is gone, would you choose to be a CYANA?

Today, I’m delighted to have Nate joining us. He is going to talk about what he thinks and feels on the subject of eternal life.

I hope you’ll like what he’s sharing.

The Alchemy of Forever

By Dr. Nate Burns

Hello. Dr. Nate Burns here.

I understand you’re curious about my thoughts and feelings regarding eternal life? Well allow me to begin by saying that I am aware that many people assume, because I had the audacity to invent and perfect Cybernetic Anthropoid Automatons (CYANA) that I don’t respect the miracle of life. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is because I have such a high regard for the miracle of life that I’ve dedicated mine to extending life for as long as possible.

We think nothing of replacing a person’s severed limb with a prostatic. The more realistic, the more advanced, the better, wouldn’t you agree? And if a person is in need of a new heart, new lungs, new kidneys, we’ve formed waiting lists for people lined up to receive a replacement. The more healthy, the more efficient, the more likely to continue working without failure the better. Yes?

Well, that’s what I’ve done. One piece, one advancement, one need met at a time I’ve created a full body—and brain—replacement for the human body. These bodies are more durable, stronger, more easily improved than any organic being. The brain is as close to the human brain as possible and in some respects, even better. A person’s thoughts, their memories, the events and tribulations that shaped them into the person they grew to be, is fully transferred into the cybernetic brain. They think, feel, react, just as they always have, except now they are free of the multitude of human frailties. They won’t get sick, they won’t grow old. They have no worry about nutrition, too much or too little, and fear of injury is virtually nonexistent. These people, CYANAs, are capable of learning at a remarkable pace, and yet they are still the same person they always were.

At their core, they are still human. Just ask them and they’ll tell you. They feel no different. And therefore should not be treated differently.

Yes. It is true, that with these enviable advancements comes an immeasurable life expectancy. I, for one, see this as a benefit, not point of contention. After all, do we define life based on expectance of death? To live, must you first be vulnerable to death? Well, CYANAs can die—in a sense. They have the ability to self terminate—death by nearly every definition of the term. But they can also choose not to die. And who among us, at that final moment, would not choose life?

Don’t answer too hastily. Let’s look at it this way: rather than asking yourself if you would extend your own life by robotic means, ask what you would do to have the person you love most, the person who makes your life worth living, with you for even one more day? What if you never had to endure the pain of their loss, witness their life, their memories, their personality, everything that made them who they are, blink out of existence? And if they were able to survive death, live…forever, would you have them endure it alone? Would you force them to endure the pain of loss you had spared yourself?

When the definition of life comes down to how much you want to live, love can make all the difference.

About the Author

Paige lives in Ohio, with her husband, three daughters, three dogs, and three cats, in an ever shrinking house. When she’s not writing she’s doing the mom thing with a book in one hand and a notepad and pen in the other. Ideas come without warning and for her, the best way to stimulate her imagination is to enjoy the imagination of someone else.

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I like the concept of this book Henrietta, when I first read the blurb I didn’t like the idea of creating a vessel that looks exactly like a person who you loss who you dearly loved. But from Nate’s little post he makes a convincing case that maybe this idea would appeal to a lot of people. Thanks for sharing this post with us Henrietta! 🙂Jasprit recently posted..Review: Live Through This by Mindi Scott

huh this definitely sounds different. I love when books are about something that you can totally see happening at some point in the future. Great little review and thanks for sharing the guest post!Jenni @ Alluring Reads recently posted..Blog Tour Stop: If You Find Me

Henrietta, that’s what I like so much about your blog – you review a wide variety of books. I never know what to expect when I visit Lesiure Reads every day, and I LOVE it! 🙂Faith Sullivan recently posted..UNEXPECTED and the Metropolitan Museum of Art

I love the premise of the book and can’t wait to read more. I’m dying to know exactly what he did and how it is going to affect her. Thanks for the great blog post and thanks for the opportunity to win.

This sounds like it would be an interesting read. I like the way Nate sounds. Love interests that respect the girl but try to make them better at the same time are always intriguing. Thanks for sharing 🙂Kim (YA Asylum) recently posted..New Layout!